Chibisi Ohakah, Abuja
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the collaboration with the Nigeria Police towards combating the perennial menace of oil theft and pipeline vandalisation across the country. Details of the deal, which was sealed at the NNPC headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday, is still sketchy giving the security implications.
The NNPC team was led by the Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Barau, while that of the Nigeria Police was led by the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Abubarkar Mohammed Adamu. The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said the Police and the Corporation would be working to reinvigorate the push against oil pipeline marauders.
The Corporation spokesman said the renewed cooperation would consolidate the prevailing cordial relations between both entities in tackling the menace which has manifested in losses of millions of litres of petroleum products.
While receiving the Police boss, Dr Baru congratulated the Acting IGP on his appointment, noting that it was gratifying for him to have chosen the NNPC Towers as the first destination for a courtesy visit since assumption of office. The NNPC GMD assured that the corporation would work assiduously with the new IGP in pursuit of the mutual mandate of ensuring the protection of the nation’s vast oil and gas assets across the country.
He commended IGP Adamu for the police’s quick response to the recent case of suspected collusion between some policemen and oil pipeline vandals in the Arepo axis, saying it was indicative of the determined commitment of the Police leadership to squelch the ugly menace. In his response, IGP Adamu said that as the foremost provider of the means of sustenance of the Nigerian economy, it was natural for the police to have a keen interest in the security and protection of NNPC’s vital oil pipelines and sundry facilities across Nigeria.
The new police boss pledged the commitment of the police force under his watch to seek fresh areas and strategies to strengthen the existing security cooperation between the NNPC and the Police.
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